Substituted quinoline-type alkaloids are known for possessing interesting biological activities. For example, 8-hydroxyquinoline derivatives were reported to possess activities against (i) Alzheimer's disease, (ii) rat mesenchymal stem cells (rMSCs) proliferation and (iii) antifungal properties. The compound, 8-aminoquinoline (sitamaquine), has been suggested to be a candidate agent for treating visceral leishmania leishmaniasis. The 8-hydroxyquinoline and its derivatives have been reported to possess good antifungal properties and can help the treatment of neurodegenerative disease.
Asymmetric hydrogenation offers a new method for structural modification of this compound type to produce new chiral structural moiety and associated bioactivity. Zhou, Chan and others reported their effort in the asymmetric production of chiral tetrahydroquinoline with high enantioselectivities. However, there is no known report of the substituted quinoline-type alkaloids of the present invention that are useful for cancer treatment with good solubility and acceptable cell toxicity.